When I was young, my father said, "Son, I've got something to say."
And what he told me I'll never forget until my dying day.
He said, "Son, you'll be a bachelor boy And that's the way to stay.
Son, you'll be a bachelor boy until your dying day."
I can almost taste my orange juice and smell the floral scent of my Mother's perfume whenever I hear this song. I can remember my thoughts at the time, a mere 8 year old girl, hair in two pigtails, missing front teeth, and an exuberant smile, waiting to get past all the traffic lights and get to class with Miss Andrews. I remember wondering what a Father's lesson to his daughter would be. I remember asking my Mum what a bachelor meant, and shocked that he wanted his son to be unmarried for the rest of his life. At that age, everyone was supposed to get married, no exceptions.
You see, I've always been inquisitive; my mind works on overdrive. I remember going home and asking my daddy what his lesson to me was. I remember him trying to change the topic in his confusion at my question, and distract me with promises for trips to the park. I remember pestering him, and even bursting into tears because I thought he didn't have any lesson for me because he didn't love me. Silly me.
He followed me to my room, where I'd dramatically flung myself on my bed, and asked me what was wrong. I remember hiccoughing and sobbing, and explaining to him, rather confusedly I'm sure, about the song I had heard, and my need for him to give me my learning lesson about love and its ways. I remember him laughing, and gathering me into a big hug. I remember the feeling of comfort I'd felt in that hug, and its what I feel to this day in each one of his hugs. I remember him asking me to stay his little girl for a while longer, and me reassuring him that I'd always be his little girl, certain that I could control that aspect of my life. I remember asking for my lesson again, and him making a deal to tell me all when I turned 16.
The years passed, and I forgot about the incident. But he didn't. On my sixteenth birthday, he came to me and spoke in a clear, but soft voice. "Hermione, you asked me to give you a lesson on finding love when you were 8. I didn't give it to you back then because I wanted you to remain my little girl for as long as I could. I am so proud of the young woman you've grown to be, and I couldn't be happier of all that you've managed to accomplish. So here it is, my lesson for you," he said, kissing my forehead lightly before handing me a piece of folded paper. I opened it, and saw that my dad had written a list of things I should try to find in the man I would be with. And not a single relationship have I had without following it.